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Subject Topic: Understanding Electrics Post Reply Post New Topic
Personlizndel
05/5/2019 at 8:52am
 Location: Northants UK
 Outfit: Mobilvetta Kea P65 View lizndel's Profile View Profile   Reply to lizndel Reply   Quote lizndel Quote  
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Hi, hoping you can help. I am soon to take ownership of a new motorhome and want a good understanding of how the electrics works. It will have one leisure battery, probably get a second one fitted at some point. It also has a solar panel fitted to the roof. I know a few of the basics but want to know what can be used and when etc.? I would really like to speak or message someone offline so that I can ask a myriad questions. Any offers?

A quick initial question, If the battery fitted is a cheaper one and I wanted one of the, cant remember the name right now, more sophisticated (expensive) ones, can they still operate next to each other? Or, do both batteries need to be of the same type?


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Soon to be motorhome owners


PersonCapt Lightning
05/5/2019 at 11:39am
 Location: Turriff Aberdeenshi
 Outfit: Romahome R30 Dimens View Capt Lightning's Profile View Profile   Reply to Capt Lightning Reply   Quote Capt Lightning Quote  
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I would also suggest not thinking about how much power you need to do the things you want, but how much you really need. I would caution against the idea of using an inverter to run 240V appliances. For small items like charging your laptop - OK, but NOT for boiling a kettle.

If you haven't already got them, fit LED internal lights, they use very little power.


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Two drifters off to see the world.

I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.


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Personfreeatlast
05/5/2019 at 2:28pm
 Location: Teesside
 Outfit:  Mitsubishi ASX4 View freeatlast's Profile View Profile   Reply to freeatlast Reply   Quote freeatlast Quote  
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Our new motorhome has a similar setup. Everything depends on the type of motorhoming you intend to do. If staying on sites with EHU, then do nothing. If wanting to be off the grid then it depends on what you need to use the electricity for. Generally in summer the solar panel will keep the battery charged. In winter the heater will use the 12v and you will probably then need more than one battery.

If you have 2 batteries they ought to be the same construction, not necessarily the same make. Frankly if you want to buy more expensive ones, you will never see much of a return. At the end of the day all will depend how much 12v you use and how quickly the solar panel can recharge it.

Avoid inverters like the plague. You can't use them for anything much, and these days there are 12v alternatives such as tooth brushes or razors that charge from a USB socket. Perhaps the only essential use would be for charging electric bikes.


PersonFiona W
05/5/2019 at 6:10pm
 Location: Ayrshire
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You will (presumably) have gas for heating air & water, and for the fridge too, if necessary. (Ours is an LPG tank that we fill at fuel stations. Seems to last forever). We have solar panels & the "issue" leisure battery, and we're fine off EHU for several days, even in winter. The one time the leisure battery drained somewhat was outside the house when we'd left something switched on, in the early days before we got more careful about turning off the control panel at the back door.
You won't be able to lay up for free (aka "wild" camping) for weeks on end because at some point (every 3-4 days) you will have to have a night on a site to empty your chemical toilet & grey waste and fill up with fresh water. You'd get a hookup & it would top up everything.
But that's just my experience. I'm not an electrical expert at all.

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Personnavver
05/5/2019 at 7:42pm
 Location: West country
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If you are buying a new motorhome I would expect the supplying dealer to give you all the information you need.

The solar panel should have a rating, probably 100 watt. If it is 100watt or more it will give out a fair amount of power from about April to September and less so in winter.
100watts is the output under a standard amount of sun at a standard ambient temperature. Obviously you won't always have those standard conditions so output will vary.

If you look at this site the 3rd column of graphs shows the output of all the solar panels in the country in the red line. It shows daily, weekly, monthly and at the bottom, for the past year by month. You can see just how much it varies.

http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

If you park under a tree so it is in shadow it won't produce anything.

The solar panel should have a controller in a cupboard somewhere inside the MH. This will automatically control the solar output to the battery taking into account its state of charge and whether you are on EHU. You shouldn't need to do anything to it. Hopefully it will show if it is charging or if the battery is fully charged.


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PersonColin21
05/5/2019 at 7:58pm
 Location: East Herts
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One thing to bear in mind is to avoid anything containing a heating element unless you are on mains electricity. Electricity is not good at providing heat, especially at low voltages, so you will use a tremendous amount of battery power to produce very little heat. Water pumps use quite a bit of power, but you mostly only use them for seconds at a time, so not a big problem.

Also, as Freeatlast says, forget inverters. They use power even with nothing connected to them and even more when you plug something in. A very small one used sparingly may be ok though.


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Best Regards,
Colin


Personfin676
05/5/2019 at 9:58pm
 Location: Banffshire
 Outfit: 2008 Adria Twin View fin676's Profile View Profile   Reply to fin676 Reply   Quote fin676 Quote  
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Got to take care with batteries 3 types available lead acid (normal) gel similar to lead acid but the acid is in gel form rather than liquid and agm advanced glass mat which has the fiberglass mats soaked in acid gel between the led plates
lead acid is the cheapest and most redily available however can only be used if outside the habitation area in a fully vented location as the gas produced during charging is poisonus and explosive
AGM and GEL batteries should not gas during charging and can be in the habitation area
My van has the battery under the bed along with all the other electrical stuff big label on the compartment says gel batteries only came used from a dealer with a lead acid fitted I changed it straight away
The charger unit in my van has a selector to change from lead acid to gel charging as the charge rates are different so you cant mix and match batteries

When looking for an agm or gel battery i went to a large dealer near me they told me there was no demand for agm or gel batteries and no need for them, that dealer had at least 15 van conversions on their site all of which would require a gel or agm battery
So dont believe what a salesman is telling you the only thing that matters to them is the next sale


Brian


PersonCapt Lightning
06/5/2019 at 9:36am
 Location: Turriff Aberdeenshi
 Outfit: Romahome R30 Dimens View Capt Lightning's Profile View Profile   Reply to Capt Lightning Reply   Quote Capt Lightning Quote  
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Fin676, you must live in the same area as me, so if you see a Romahome r30, give us a wave - I think it's the only one in the county.

I really don't share your concern about Lead acid batteries. If they were prone to giving problems I expect this would be well known. Lead acid batteries generally 'maintenance free' or have a vent tube to the outside to conduct any gas away from the van. Gel batteries are more often used when they might be prone to movement or damage. AGM batteries are in many ways superior, but more expensive.

So, you pays your money and you take your pick.
However, if you do add another battery, make sure it is the same type and rating as the first one.



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Two drifters off to see the world.

I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.


Personkiev
06/5/2019 at 10:34am
 Location: West Midlands
 Outfit: peugeot coachbuilt motorhome View kiev's Profile View Profile   Reply to kiev Reply   Quote kiev Quote  
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Over many years I have used lead acid leisure batteries with no problems. they normally last me at least 5-6 years before starting to lose their holding capacity.

One thing you must never do is for them to be run flat without charging, they will never recover.

I normally pay about £90 for my 110amp leisure battery, its constantly charged by a 90 watt solar panel, (when its bright or sunny). I never feel the need to have EHU and pay the silly prices asked on some sites for it, then again I don't go away in winter when that would be needed.

I run my stove,boiler,gas fridge and heater by gas. My L.E.D.lights and my low wattage TV from the leisure battery.





Post last edited on 06/05/2019 10:43:50

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kiev


PersonLukeledge
via mobile 07/5/2019 at 9:08am
 Location: Scotland
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I am not really clear why the OP wants to fit a second battery when they have a solar panel?


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PersonCapt Lightning
07/5/2019 at 1:01pm
 Location: Turriff Aberdeenshi
 Outfit: Romahome R30 Dimens View Capt Lightning's Profile View Profile   Reply to Capt Lightning Reply   Quote Capt Lightning Quote  
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Perhaps they like to wild camp in winter, or under the shade of trees.

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Two drifters off to see the world.

I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.



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